Latest news with #planet
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'A completely new phenomenon': Astronomers spot a planet causing its star to constantly explode
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astronomers have captured the first evidence of a "planet with a death wish" — an alien world that's orbiting so close to its star and so fast that it's causing the star to cook it to death with stellar explosions. The planet, called HIP 67522 b, is a wispy, Jupiter-size planet bound on a tight, seven-day orbit around its host star, HIP 67522. But these orbits are disturbing the star's magnetic field, causing enormous stellar eruptions to blow back on the planet and make it shrink. This marks the first time a planet has been observed influencing its host star, the scientists reported in a study published July 2 in the journal Nature. "The planet seems to be triggering particularly energetic flares," study first-author Ekaterina Ilin, an astrophysicist at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, said in a statement. "The waves it sends along the star's magnetic field lines kick off flares at specific moments. But the energy of the flares is much higher than the energy of the waves. We think that the waves are setting off explosions that are waiting to happen." Stars are gigantic balls of burning plasma whose charged particles, or ions, swirl over their surfaces to create powerful magnetic fields. Because magnetic-field lines cannot cross each other, sometimes these fields knot before suddenly snapping to launch bursts of radiation called solar flares, which are sometimes accompanied by enormous belches of surface plasma known as coronal mass ejections. Because many planets, including Earth, have magnetic fields, astronomers have long wondered whether planets with close orbits around their stars could disturb powerful stellar magnetic fields enough to trigger explosions. Related: James Webb telescope discovers its first planet — a Saturn-size 'shepherd' still glowing red hot from its formation To investigate this question, the astronomers conducted a broad sweep of stars using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which finds exoplanets by detecting the characteristic dimming of stars' light as planets pass in front of them. After flagging HIP 67522 as worthy of interest, the astronomers used the European Space Agency's (ESA) Characterising Exoplanet Satellite (Cheops) to investigate further. "We quickly requested observing time with Cheops, which can target individual stars on demand, ultra precisely," Ilin said. "With Cheops we saw more flares, taking the total count to 15, almost all coming in our direction as the planet transited in front of the star as seen from Earth." A vital piece of evidence was that these flares occurred when the planet passed in front of the star. This suggested that the planet is gathering energy as it orbits and is using it to "whip" the star's magnetic-field lines like a rope. When this shock wave passes down the field to the star's surface, a powerful flare erupts. RELATED STORIES —Scientists discover rare planet at the edge of the Milky Way, using space-time phenomenon predicted by Einstein —'Eyeball' planet spied by James Webb telescope might be habitable —Our sun may be overdue for a 'superflare' stronger than billions of atomic bombs, new research warns These flares are slowly stripping away the planet's diffuse atmosphere, layer by layer. The researchers project that, although HIP 67522 b is as big as Jupiter now, it could shrink to the size of Neptune in the next 100 million years. To further investigate this first-of-its-kind phenomenon, the researchers plan to take more readings with TESS, Cheops, and other exoplanet telescopes, such as ESA's upcoming Plato space telescope, which is scheduled to launch in 2026. "I have a million questions because this is a completely new phenomenon, so the details are still not clear," Ilin said. "There are two things that I think are most important to do now. The first is to follow up in different wavelengths (Cheops covers visible to near-infrared wavelengths) to find out what kind of energy is being released in these flares — for example ultraviolet and X-rays are especially bad news for the exoplanet. "The second is to find and study other similar star-planet systems; by moving from a single case to a group of 10-100 systems, theoretical astronomers will have something to work with," she added.
Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
The Times Daily Quiz: Thursday June 26, 2025
1 Boxing Day falls on which date? 2 Which planet in our solar system comes first alphabetically? 3 In the 1980s, Gareth Hunt advertised which instant coffee brand? 4 Which term for road tax is abbreviated VED? 5 According to Roman mythology, a woodpecker fed which twins when they were infants? 6 The Scottish folk song Will Ye No Come Back Again? commemorates which 'Young Pretender'? 7 Which Channel 4 comedy-drama was set on the fictional Chatsworth council estate in Manchester? 8 The play adapted from which ghost story by Susan Hill opened in the West End in 1989? 9 Who directed a feature-length film adaptation of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost in 2000? 10 The band Madness took their name from a song by which Jamaican ska legend? 11 Who wrote the Wessex novels Wolf Solent (1929) and A Glastonbury Romance (1932)? 12 In 2002, Kaspar Basse founded which chain of juice bars in Copenhagen? 13 Which Japanese manga artist is known for creating the series Fire Punch and Chainsaw Man? 14 In 1978, which country became the first African or Arab nation to win a Fifa World Cup match? 15 The statues pictured are part of which enormous cache of clay sculptures? Scroll down for answers Answers 1 December 26 2 Earth 3 Nescafé 4 Vehicle excise duty 5 Romulus and Remus 6 Bonnie Prince Charlie or Charles Edward Stuart 7 Shameless 8 The Woman in Black. It was adapted by Stephen Mallatratt 9 Kenneth Branagh 10 Prince Buster 11 John Cowper Powys 12 Joe & the Juice 13 Tatsuki Fujimoto 14 Tunisia. The team beat Mexico 3-1 in their first match in the competition 15 Terracotta Army or terracotta warriors
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
How to see Mercury, the moon and the Gemini twins pass close together in the night sky this week
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. During the final week of June and continuing into the first week of July, we'll have a fair chance at sighting Mercury, the innermost planet to the sun. Many people have never noticed that Mercury swings rapidly back and forth relative to the sun in our sky, while moving along in an orbit scarcely more than half as far from the sun as Venus. This fastest-moving and smallest major planet (only 1.4 times wider than the moon) orbits the sun 4.15 times a year, but from our own moving vantage point it appears to go around only 3.15 times. Each year it makes about 3.5 swings into the morning sky and as many times into the evening — excursions of highly unequal character because of its eccentric orbit and the varying angles from which we view it. Typically, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere for after-sunset views of Mercury, its spring treks into the evening skies prove to be the best. Although it did not occur officially within the spring season, this year's first evening apparition that ran from Feb. 23 through March 15 was an excellent one, since for a few days centered around the date of its greatest elongation from the sun (March 8), Mercury set just after the end of evening twilight against a dark sky. Now, this speedy, rocky little world is again available to view in the evening sky, although on this occasion, not a "spring" apparition, but more like early summer, encompassing the timeframe from June 20 through July 11. This time, Mercury's greatest elongation from the sun will come on July 4. During this current evening apparition, Mercury's climb out of the west-northwest horizon comes at a steeper angle and yet it will attain an altitude essentially as high above the setting sun as it did in late February and early March. What is different this time around is that it is now early summer, not late winter. So, from mid-northern latitudes, the duration of evening twilight is longer by about 30 minutes. As such, unlike in early March, we cannot hope to glimpse Mercury against a dark sky. However, during its evening appearances, Mercury always appears brightest in the days leading up to its greatest elongation. On June 20, it shone at magnitude -0.2, brighter than the similarly-hued star Arcturus, the second brightest behind Sirius as seen from northern latitudes. By July 3 it will have faded to a still respectably bright magnitude of +0.5, which would rank it among the top ten brightest stars in the sky. So, it should not be too difficult to sight against the twilight sky, low in the west-northwest about 45 minutes to one hour after sunset. And during this week, we'll have some help in identifying it thanks to some other celestial landmarks. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to get close-up views of planets in the night sky? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. On Tuesday evening, June 24, Mercury will form a nearly straight line with two bright stars; the Gemini Twins, Pollux and Castor. Going from right to left, the distance between Castor and Pollux measures 4.5 degrees. If you were to draw an imaginary line between these two stars and extend it another 6.5 degrees to the left, you will come to Mercury. Or, put another way, if you make a clenched fist and hold it out at arm's length, that will measure roughly 10 degrees. The distance from Mercury to the star Castor (going from left to right) should measure a bit more than one fist width, or about 11 degrees. In addition, keep in mind that Mercury will appear much brighter than either Pollux and Castor. On this night, Mercury will shine at zero magnitude, while Pollux will appear only about a third as bright at magnitude +1.1 and Castor only about one quarter as bright at magnitude +1.6. So, while it's likely that you'll be able to see Mercury with your naked eye, Pollux and Castor will likely be more difficult to see amidst the twilight glow. So be sure to have a pair of binoculars on hand to help you see these Twin Stars teamed up with Mercury. Remember: if you're looking for a telescope or binoculars to observe Mercury or any other night sky event, our guides for the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals now can help. Two evenings later, on Thursday, June 26, another celestial wanderer will appear on the scene — the moon. Only a little over 1.5 days past the new moon phase, it will appear as a very narrow, wire-thin crescent, a mere 3 percent illuminated by the sun. Here again, binoculars will prove most beneficial in helping to find not only Pollux and Castor, but this exceedingly slender lunar sliver. But what an amazing scene awaits you if you are successful in making a sighting. On this evening, Pollux and Castor will be pointing directly at the moon and the gap separating this trio will be equidistant: From Castor to Pollux will measure 4.5 degrees and from Pollux to the moon will measure another 4.5 degrees; a celestial triple play. But don't forget Mercury. It will be shining about 4.3 degrees to the left and ever-so-slightly above the moon. In short, four prominent celestial objects — the moon, a bright planet and two bright stars — stretched out across a little more than a dozen degrees of the west-northwest sky. A celestial quadruple grouping! But please keep in mind that in many parts of the country, June has a reputation for being a sultry, hazy and humid month. So unfortunately, visibility of objects so low to the horizon might hinder seeing this "celestial summit meeting." But if your local sky is clear and transparent, try not to miss it, for gatherings like this of the moon accompanied by bright stars and planets are unusual and wonderful sights. Mercury will quickly move away from the Gemini Twins in the days following June 26, and will rapidly fade after July 4, transitioning into the morning sky on July 31. On balmy mornings in August, get up early to see this elusive planet climbing almost straight up above the point of sunrise. By Aug. 19, about an hour before sunrise, it will reach its highest, with the "dynamic duo" of Venus and Jupiter, respectively 15 and 22 degrees higher still. Pollux and Castor will also be nearby and on the mornings of Aug. 20 and 21, the moon will again join in too! Mark your calendars ... Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, Sky and Telescope and other publications.
The Guardian
23-06-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Did you solve it? Is 'yes' the answer to this question?
Earlier today I set five logic problems. Here they are again with solutions. A questionable planet A certain planet is inhabited by two kinds of alien, Cricks and Goops. Both types of alien – who are physically identical – have a strange way of speaking. They only ask questions. Cricks can only ask questions whose answer is yes, while Goops can only ask questions whose answer is no. 1. Could you meet a person inhabiting this planet who asks you 'Am I a Goop?' Solution No If the answer is 'no', then the person must be a Goop because only Goops ask such questions. But if the answer is 'no', they are stating they are not a Goop. There's a contradiction so this situation is impossible. If the answer is 'yes', they are a Crick. But if the answer is 'yes', they are a Goop! This situation is also impossible. 2. You meet two friends, Katja and Anja. Katja once asked Anja 'Is at least one of us a Goop?' What are Katja and Anja? Solution Katja is a Crick and Anja a Goop. Say the answer is 'no', then Katja is a Goop. But if it is not the case that at least one is a Goop, none are Goops, and there is a contradiction. So this is impossible. So the answer is 'yes', which means Katja is a Crick. And if one of them is a Goop, it must be Katja. 3. You overhear a conversation between two people. One of them asks 'Am I the kind that could ask you whether there is a wizard on this planet?'. What are the chances that there is a wizard on the planet? Solution There is a wizard on the planet If the answer to this question is yes, then the questioner is a Crick and if they can ask whether there is a wizard on the planet, that means there is a wizard on the planet, as Cricks can only ask questions to which the answer is yes. If the answer to this question is no, then the questioner is a Goop. If they couldn't ask you whether there is a wizard on the planet, this means there must be a wizard on the planet, as Goops can ask questions only if their answer would be no. As they can't ask this one, the answer must be yes. Note: the question is of the form 'Am I the kind that can ask you whether X', and X is true whichever alien type asks it. This insight will be used in the next question. 4. You later learn that there is exactly one wizard on this planet of Cricks and Goops. You would like to find out who that is. You meet an alien called Andrew. He asks you 'Am I the kind that could ask whether I am not the wizard?' Do you have enough information to tell for sure who the wizard is by now? Solution No The quertion is of the form 'Am I the kind that can ask you whether X'. So we know X is true, that is, we know that Andrew is not the wizard. But we still dont know who is the wizard. 5. A strange alien asks you 'Am I the kind who could ask you the question I am now asking?' What can be said about her? Solution She is a Crick Suppose the answer is no. This would mean that the strange alien is a Goop. But it also means she can't ask the question she is asking. Not only does this not make sense (as she is asking it...) but also this implies the answer to the question is yes, as she can't ask it and she is a Goop, which is a direct suppose the answer to the question is yes. Therefore she is a Crick and she can ask the question she is asking, so the answer to the question is yes. Everything checks out. Thanks to We Solve Problems who devised these puzzles. WSP runs free maths circles for secondary school students (UK years 7 to 11) in nine cities in the UK. If you want to sign up for the next academic year you can apply here. I've been setting a puzzle here on alternate Mondays since 2015. I'm always on the look-out for great puzzles. If you would like to suggest one, email me.
The Guardian
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Can you solve it? Is 'yes' the answer to this question?
For readers who answered 'yes', you are correct. For readers who answered 'no', you are also correct. (I hope no one answered 'maybe'.) A similar logic applies to today's puzzles. Am I the kind of person who would set you such a challenge? Absolutely! A questionable planet A certain planet is inhabited by two kinds of alien, Cricks and Goops. Both types of alien – who are physically identical – have a strange way of speaking. They only ask questions. Cricks can only ask questions whose answer is yes, while Goops can only ask questions whose answer is no. 1. Could you meet a person inhabiting this planet who asks you 'Am I a Goop?' 2. You meet two friends, Katja and Anja. Katja once asked Anja 'Is at least one of us a Goop?' What are Katja and Anja? 3. You overhear a conversation between two people. One of them asks 'Am I the kind that could ask you whether there is a wizard on this planet?'. What are the chances that there is a wizard on the planet? 4. You later learn that there is exactly one wizard on this planet of Cricks and Goops. You would like to find out who that is. You meet an alien called Andrew. He asks you 'Am I the kind that could ask whether I am not the wizard?' Do you have enough information to tell for sure who the wizard is by now? 5. A strange alien asks you 'Am I the kind who could ask you the question I am now asking?' What can be said about her? I'll be back at 5pm UK with the solutions. PLEASE NO SPOILERS. Instead ask questions in the comments that are true whether or not the answers are yes or no. Today's puzzles were devised by We Solve Problems, a fantastic charity that describes itself as a 'social club for maths-loving kids.' WSP runs free maths circles for secondary school students (UK years 7 to 11) in nine cities in the UK. If you want to sign up for the next academic year you can apply here. We Solve Problems also organises 'maths battles', which I wrote about in 2022 I've been setting a puzzle here on alternate Mondays since 2015. I'm always on the look-out for great puzzles. If you would like to suggest one, email me.
